Age-old traditions, hidden treasures and stories worth telling

Mulazzo is a town that clings onto the Lunigiana mountains, famous for the people who live in the small village of Montereggio. Since the mid-19th century these inhabitants left, for entire generations, with a pannier of books on their backs, determined to “colonize” the whole of Central and Northern Italy, reaching all the towns that were still bereft of bookshops and opening new ones. For this reason, Montereggio is the only town, in the whole of Italy, to be a member of the international Book Town circuit, once home to the famous bookselling families of Fogola, Lazzarelli, Bertoni, Maucci, Tarantola and Giovannacci.

Discover some of the most charismatic places around Mulazzo, whose main attractions include the ruins of the Malaspina aqueduct and castle, the remains of a Byzantine tower and some noble buildings, one of which houses the study centre dedicated to the navigator Alessandro Malaspina.

In the village of Groppoli you find the castle, villa and church commissioned by the Brignole Sale of Genoa based on plans by Matteo Vinzoni. Check out Castevoli and its mighty Malaspina village. In Campoli, a steel statue stands guard outside the village oratory. An absolute must is a visit to the church of the Madonna al Monte, with an incomparable view over the Lunigiana and, on really clear days, as far as the sea.

The Alessandro Malaspina Study Centre is historically important. Situated in the medieval tower of Mulazzo, it contains materials and documents relating to the Malaspina family of Mulazzo with a special focus on the navigator Alessandro Malaspina (1754-1810), telling the story of this famous man from Lunigiana who sailed around the world and made notable scientific discoveries.

Montereggio, as we mentioned, is a town of book dealers, where about a century ago the locals set off from this town with panniers on their backs to sell books all over Italy, even reaching Spain and France. In the beginning the booksellers of Montereggio were street traders who sold their wares on market stalls, hence the famous Premio Bancarella Award. Today Montereggio is becoming a town entirely dedicated to books and publishing.

Last but not least, take a look at the centuries-old Malaspina di Castevoli Castle. Founded in 1000 by the House of Este, in 1195 it passed to the Malaspina counts, who in 1306 played host to Dante Alighieri. In 1416, ownership of the building was transferred to the Republic of Genoa, but returned to the Malaspina in 1465. In 1561, it was transformed into an autonomous estate under the rule of Tommaso Malaspina. In 1797, a revolt ended the rule of the Malaspina and the castle was abandoned for two centuries. In 1990, the painter and sculptor Loris Nelson Ricci, with his Swiss wife Erika H. End, rebuilt the ancient castle on the site of its ruins. After eight years of dedicated restoration, the castle was opened in 1998. Inside you can see sculptures, paintings, designs and architectural projects.